BLANINE Co. JOUNAL NEWS-OPINION Wednesday, September 22, 1999

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CLIFFORD ANDERSON

Clifford J. Anderson, 86, longtime Moses Lake resident passed away Saturday, Sept. 18, 1999, at his home. Funeral services in Moses Lake will be held at 11:00 a.m., Wednesday, Sept. 22 at Immanuel Lutheran Church with Pastor Kevan Smith officiating. Funeral services will then be held at 11:00 a.m., Saturday, Sept. 25, at K and L Mortuary in Twin Bridges. Interment will follow at the Twin Bridges Cemetery. Visitationhours at the funeral home will be on Friday from 9:00 a.m. until 9:00 p.m. Arrangements are in care of Kayser's Chapel of Memories, Moses Lake.

Clifford was born in Harlem, Montana on Dec. 6, 1912, to Albert and Mary (Tollefson) Anderson, who were early pioneers on the Big Flat in northern Montana in 1909. Their post office was originally Twete, Montana, but with the opening of the railroad branch line from Saco, the post office was moved to the end of the line in Hogeland. Clifford attended the Wing School throuh grade eight, and then in 1927, started high school in Harlem, graduating in May 1931. Then he enrolled at Northern Montana College in Havre in the fall of 1931.

He worked during the summer of 1931 for Chris Loraas putting up Russian Thistles and a spear or two of wheat or oats. It was a very dry year. He worked through 28 days straight for $1.50 per day. Chris had no money, so Clifford didn't get paid then, but later sent all the money Clifford had earned (a total of $42.00) and wanted him to stay longer. Clifford asked what he'd be doing, and Chris said he would be tending the sheep camps and herding bucks at the home ranck. Clifford told Chris he'd like to check with his folks before making a final decision. So he went to Harlem since his mother was in town. When she saw him, she asked him if he'd like to go to College in Havre. Boy, would I, Clifford sais, so you see he came close to becoming a sheepherder.

Clifford graduated from Northern Montana College in 1933 and decided to go to Montana State College in Bozeman for two more years, graduating in 1935 in Zoology with a Bachelor of Science Degree. He had looked ahead enough to qualify himself to teach school and did student teaching of chemistry in the Rosary High School in Bozeman. It was a real satisfying experience for him, and he was looking forward to a job in teaching. He looked for two years, joined a lot of teacher orginizations to get located, but to no avail. He had only interviews and never heard anything further - so decided right then and there he wasn't supposed to be a teacher.

He sought other employment, finally ending up measuring wheat fields part-time for the newly created Farm Program. But as time went on, he worked for the Farm Program until recievibg a full time job in the state office of the Agriculture Department in Bozeman. HYe worked there until drafted into the Army in February 1942. He took basic training at Camp Roberts, CA, then Officer Canidates School at Fort Sill, graduating in November 1942, as a 2nd Lt. in artillery. He was assigned to 487th Port Battalion in Indiantown Gap, PA.

Eventually, Clifford was selected a Company Commander of Company "C". and stayed with the Company for 28 months in the European Theatre. He was released from active duty Dec.5, 1945, but remained in the Army Reserves and retired as a Lieutenant Colonel. After the war, he returned to the U.S. Department of Agriculture in Bozeman, until March 1963. He was then transfered to the regional office in Kansas City, MO, as assistant chief administrator of the Service Division and remained there until retirement in June 1973.

On Nov. 3, 1947, he was married to Helen Spinner in Helena. They have two sons anf daughter-in-law, Byron and Donna Anderson, an architect in San Diego, CA and Bruce and Beth Anderson, a mechanical engineer in Bremerton, WA; two grandaughters, Stacy and Corie Anderson; and two grandsons, Tim and Nick Anderson; and he has one surviving brother, Palmer Anderson of Pensacola, FL anf Hogeland.

Three other brothers, Gilman, Milo, and Leslie had preceded him in death. Leslie in 1944, Milo in 1966 and Gilman in 1998. One sister, Alberta Molstad, also preceded him in death in 1989 in North Dakota. His father passed away in 1970, and his mother passed away in 1975. Clifford and Helen lived in Moses Lake, WA since 1973. He raised potatoes for about four years in partnership with his brother, Gilman. After he retired from potato farming, he concentrated on playing golf, visiting his sons and their families, and doing some fishing. Clifford said he had a satisfying career and a full life. He thanked God for all his blessings and forgiveness.

He was a member of the Masonic Lodge in Bozeman, the Sons of Norway in Moses Lake and Immanuel Church in Moses Lake.

Memorials may be made to Immanuel Lutheran Church, 1020 South A St., Moses Lake, WA 98837 or to the American Cancer Society, P.O. Box 1685, Moses Lake, WA 98837.

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